Yesterday, Gwyneth Paltrow posted to her lifestyle blog that her and her husband Chris Martin finally decided they were ‘consciously uncoupling’.
‘Consciously uncoupling’? How is that different from the other words in our social vocabulary, like ‘divorce’, or ‘separating’? Why did Gwyneth choose this specific phrasing and how does this truly reflect marriage in the modern era?
Conscious uncoupling, a phrase unheard of by most, sheds a new positive light on the longstanding social stigma of modern divorce. Though common amongst celebrities, divorce is still widely viewed as a negative aspect in our society. No matter the circumstances, the two parties in a divorce are frowned upon, as if the dissolution of the marriage reflects a greater personal failure, a shortcoming, a black mark on your record.
Could 'consciously uncoupling’ be the new term for ‘divorce’? Can it change the definition and the conversation? Is this the future of divorce? We certainly hope so.
‘Consciously uncoupling’ tells us that marriages end because the relationship was only meant to last for as long as it did. Isn't that what happens to lots of our other relationships? So, why can’t we accept the end of the marital relationship in the same way, and without the social stigmas of 'failure'?
- Splitsville Staff Writers